The upcoming sixth edition of the International Nuclear Emergency Exercise (INEX) will highlight the planning and preparedness for the transition and/or the recovery phases after a nuclear or radiological accident. The recovery phase is a novel area of focus for international emergency planning exercises and one that is likely to generate substantial improvements for participating countries.
Building on the discussions held in March and June 2021, the INEX-6 Preparatory Task Force met on 13 September 2021. The group made further progress in its draft report in preparation for the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM) annual meeting, which will be held in November 2021 and feature a topical session dedicated to INEX-6 to initiate the official preparation process for the exercise.
The report will recommend a number of exercise objectives for INEX-6, complemented by a selection of potential approaches to scope this extremely complex and multi-dimensional exercise. In addition, it will also address a number of planning issues, including the exercise timing, previous experience with recovery exercises, the availability of established governance models for recovery and the inclusion of relevant NEA bodies such as the Expert Group on Recovery Management (EGRM) and the Expert Group on Non-radiological Public Health Aspects of Radiation Emergency Planning and Response (EGNR).